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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

The word "regency" is not uncommon—a new hospital in my area is called "Regency" and when I google the word, I get a beauty institute, a concert hall, a real estate company, a furniture company, a shopping center, and of course, the famous hotel chain. There are, in fact, 111,000,000 results, only a few of which refer to the Regency period in England that so many devotees of historical romances fancy as a setting for their favorite stories.

Yet I've found few people outside of die-hard Regency fans who know what the word means…and even some of them don't know that much about it, just that during that period, the heir to the British throne, Prince George (or Prinny) was called "Regent."

It appears to me that many business owners looking for a name that sounds rather upper-class settle on "regency" for no real reason. Which is fine. I 'd rather people do that than come up with some "cutesy" name like "Kozy Korner Kreations." [Shudder]

What does "Regency" refer to?

But frankly, only one or two guests at yesterday's Release Party for my Regency short story Treasuring Theresa actually knew what the word "regency" means.

My online dictionary defines a "regent" as:

a person who exercises the ruling power in a kingdom during the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign.

a ruler or governor

Of course, there are such things as "regents" of universities and colleges and so on, but essentially we will deal with #1 and #2 here.

If a ruler dies when his heir is too young to take his place, generally someone will be appointed his guardian and rule in his place until he comes of legal age. That person is called a Regent. It could be his mother or some other prominent person at court. But in the early nineteenth century, it was the heir to the throne, Prince George, who eventually became George IV.

George III, the "Mad King"

Yes, it was that King George who fought the rebelling colonists in the Revolutionary War. But he wasn't really a bad guy…just sort of wrong-headed, according to those of us who consider ourselves patriotic Americans. He just thought it was something he should do, and he would have succeeded if it weren't for his enemies, the French, who helped the colonists more because they hated the British than for any other reason. We owe them, folks. Seriously. Although it might be cool to speak with a British accent, I still like our flag better.

Anyway, a decade or so later, King George began to behave erratically, showing symptoms that many attribute to the hereditary disease of porphyria, which can result in a sort of "madness." Parliament debated the establishment of a Regency at that time, but while the issue was being discussed, the ailing monarch recovered. However, in 1810, when Treasuring Theresa takes place, he had a relapse, and since he was unable to fulfill his duties, Parliament—under the Prime Minister Spencer Perceval—was obligated to consider the matter again. On February 5, 1811, the Regency was created, with the heir to the throne, Prince George, being made Prince Regent, or the "Reigning Prince" of the Kingdom, a position he held until he became King George IV in 1820 at the death of his father.

Why is the Regency period such a popular setting for historical romances?

Ah, the question of the hour! One reason is undoubtedly because during Prince George's reign as Regent, society became less reserved and pious and more frivolous and ostentatious, in accordance with the tastes and character of the Prince Regent himself. A great lover of the arts and architecture, he spent large sums of money on his homes—Carlton House and the Brighton Pavilion, to name two—as well as public works. This, in addition to lavish personal spending on entertainments and luxuries, obliged him to regularly dip into the Treasury to pay his bills, which was a major source of concern to the government, which had to scramble to find ways to pay its own bills, including an ongoing war with Napoleon.

But other than brief mentions of battles and heroes, and a mention or two of a wounded soldier (i.e., tortured hero) returning to his family, in most Regency novels, you wouldn't know there was a war going on at all. Aristocratic gentlemen gambled and drank to excess, while their wives shopped until they dropped and gossiped at balls and teas and worried more about keeping up appearances than the bloody toll of the war, and the increasing misery of the lower classes. Sound familiar?

But the Regency was also a time of elegant manners, fabulous balls, and glittering aristocratic lifestyles. The traditional Regency romance, à la Georgette Heyer, involves dashing heroes, spunky heroines, witty dialogue, and an unexpected, "sweet" romance. A traditional Regency romance involves no physical contact other than kissing, although the more "modern" Regencies range from spicy to steamy hot, more "erotic" stories.

Treasuring Theresa: A Traditional "Sweet" Regency Story

Lady Theresa is an earl's daughter who has grown up on her father's country estate. She despises the superficial values of London society, and especially that fribble Damian Ashby, who will one day inherit her father's estate.

When Damian meets "Cousin Theresa," he dismisses her as a mannerless country chit. (Well, it's true that at the time her behavior was decidedly out of character.)

But Damian is more than a London swell, and Theresa far from a brainless twit, which they both discover when they are obliged to spend time together. But he's still a city boy and she a country lady, so a match between them would be a disaster. Wouldn't it?

Treasuring Theresa is set in 1810 just months prior to the official Regency period, but the epilogue—which can be found as a free read on my web site—takes place in February 1811, at the same time as the establishment of the Regency Act. If you enjoy Treasuring Theresa, you'll surely want to find out what happens afterward!

Note: You can also find brief character sketches of both Damian and Theresa, and a sort of "prequel" to the story, "Lady Theresa's Trials." Enjoy!

Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

To celebrate the release of Treasuring Theresa,I am hosting a series of contests on my web site for the month of January. Winners will be chosen on January 9, 16, 23, and 31.

I love to chat with readers!

Please friend me on Facebook (susana.ellis.5) and follow me on Twitter (@susanaauthor) and send me your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Reviews and likes are also welcome!

3 comments:

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